Below is a very basic tutorial on Hand Signals for Lighting Technicians. These hand signals are very commonly use by the grip & lighting departments and DOP on many film sets across North America. Although not every single hand signal will not be used exactly as seen in the video, it can still be very […]
Working as a 1st Assistant Director
One thing I didn’t really understand until I started working on sets was the role of the assistant directors. In this three-part blog I will break down the roles of the 1st Assistant Director, 2nd, and 3rd. Let’s start at the top. The role of the 1st Assistant Director is a very important one on any […]
5 Tips for Aspiring Writers: Become a Better Writer
One of the hardest things for me about this website is writing. The content almost writes itself, since it’s all based on personal experience and conversations had with members of the local film community, but spelling, grammar and formatting are killer. I am by no means a “writer” and English just happens to be my […]
5 TV Shows Never as Good as Their First Season
There are a handful of TV shows that I have started to watch over the past few years that have never been able to top their first season. I loved the first seasons of the following shows but after that it was never the same or as good. The following five shows put too much […]
5 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Hired.
Have you ever wondered why you aren’t getting as many calls as you would like? Have you wondered if people are talking about you behind your back? It’s something you may or may not think about often when working in the film industry and as unimportant as it may seem it really does matter what […]
10 TV Shows that Should Have Quit
Everyone has their list of TV shows that either went or have gone on too long, I have compiled my list of ten TV shows that I think should have thrown in the towel long before they actually did or have yet to do. Here’s my list: Happy Days was the creator of “Jumping the […]
Building your Kit & Earning Extra Income Through Gear Rentals
Do you want to make more money or money while you’re sitting at home? A big part of making good, easy money in the film industry is earning kit or rental fees. Not all jobs or positions will allow for rentals, but that is how many cinematographers and technicians make a good chunk of their […]
Film Set Horror Stories
We here at How to Film School think it would be fun to start sharing some of our crazy and ridiculous on set horror stories. Everyone has them, some of us more than others; we want you to share your most ridiculous film set stories with us in the comments section below. The first story […]
5 Things to Think About Before Film School
Film school is an amazing experience, but in many cases having a film school diploma will do absolutely nothing for you. There are countless working film industry professionals with film school educations who have not once had to show their diploma and some haven’t even made a resume. This is the continuation of the “5 […]
Making a Call Sheet
In this blog post we will go over the basics of Making a Call Sheet. One thing that has taken me years to get really great at is Making a Call Sheet. A call sheet is a document that combines all of the relevant information that the crew will need to get through the shoot […]
Dealing with Petty Cash and Expenses
No matter which department you are working in on a film or television set you will more than likely have to deal with petty cash or expense reports. The key to both petty cash and expense reports, is to BE ORGANIZED! Petty cash is usually issued to members of the production team, such as the […]
HowToFilmSchool’s Film Set Walkie Talkie Etiquette Guide
The Walkie Talkie can be one of the most import tools used daily on a film set. They can ease communication between the crew, various departments and help Assistant Directors run the set. An Assistant Director without a walkie talkie is like a hockey player without a stick. With all that power comes…Walkie Talkie Etiquette. […]
